This is the first time I have heard that there could have been a third telepath character introduced. Did this get any further than just JMS musing about it?

Probably not. I heard him somewhere mention that the network wanted a new Telepath to pick up where Talia left off. They seemed opposed to the idea of Lyta returning, but they agreed to bring her on as a guest star for an ep or two. Joe wasn't particularly pleased with the idea of Teep #3, and by the time the next season rolled around he just did Lyta and the network either had become cool with it or had simply forgotten their earlier objections.

I'm probably off in some details, I heard this like 15 years ago. I think it was only a breif window while he was considering it.

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Kevin Long
(The Artist Formerly Known As Republibot 3.0, And The World's Greatest Living Thurl Ravenscroft Impersonator)http://www.kevin-long.com

That still doesn't mean that JMS couldn't have changed his mind about where he wanted Lennier to end up, right?

Certainly Joe can change his mind any time he wants. However, as I mentioned in the other thread, Bill already knew Lennier was to die in the telepath war. This was before season five was even a go. I will upload the quote when I find it.

As for appearances mentioned up-thread, both Bill and Stephen had new contracts for season five. 7 episodes + 2 to direct for Stephen; 7 episodes + 1 to write for Bill. And although Bill's script wasn't used, he still was paid for it.

Edit:

Found the quote. Interview August 5th, 1997:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Mumy

When I read that Lennier was toasted as one who had fallen [in Sleeping in Light], at first I tried to appeal that. I went to Joe and said, "Does he have to die?" and Joe said, "He dies in the great telepath war. He'll die like a hero, and it's way down the line; it's two movies down the line." I said, "Yeah, but he has to die?" and Joe said, "Yes, he's dying. He'll die like a hero and it will be great death, and it's after the fifth season" and blah blah blah.

That's Lennier's fate: he dies in the great telepath war somewhere down the line in the future.

That still doesn't mean that JMS couldn't have changed his mind about where he wanted Lennier to end up, right?

Certainly Joe can change his mind any time he wants. However, as I mentioned in the other thread, Bill already knew Lennier was to die in the telepath war. This was before season five was even a go. I will upload the quote when I find it.

As for appearances mentioned up-thread, both Bill and Stephen had new contracts for season five. 7 episodes + 2 to direct for Stephen; 7 episodes + 1 to write for Bill. And although Bill's script wasn't used, he still was paid for it.

Edit:

Found the quote. Interview August 5th, 1997:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Mumy

When I read that Lennier was toasted as one who had fallen [in Sleeping in Light], at first I tried to appeal that. I went to Joe and said, "Does he have to die?" and Joe said, "He dies in the great telepath war. He'll die like a hero, and it's way down the line; it's two movies down the line." I said, "Yeah, but he has to die?" and Joe said, "Yes, he's dying. He'll die like a hero and it will be great death, and it's after the fifth season" and blah blah blah.

That's Lennier's fate: he dies in the great telepath war somewhere down the line in the future.

Huh. Well, I'm just damn wrong, I guess.

That's what I like about this site as opposed to Trek or Gate sites: People here know their stuff, don't just natter and attack. (Gate sites do that less than Trek sites, but still)

Anyway, thank you. I think I prefer what I daydreamed over what JMS had in mind, but I am clearly, clearly, clearly wrong.

__________________
Sincerely,

Kevin Long
(The Artist Formerly Known As Republibot 3.0, And The World's Greatest Living Thurl Ravenscroft Impersonator)http://www.kevin-long.com

I've always been curious as to how Lennier ended up fighting with the Telepath resistance. I know that he wanted to redeem himself in Delenn's eyes but never really figured out why he'd have found the telepath struggle worthy - especially considering their bent toward terrorism.

One thing I forgot to mention upthread is that JMS mentioned in the fifth season script books having deliberately made sure that all of the B5 characters were spread out around the galaxy in case he was able to use them in Crusade. From what I gather, TNT somehow wanted to have the connection to B5 without having any actual characters from it. JMS was playing with some interesting ideas, though. At one point he seriously suggested Andreas Katsulast for the part of Galen. That would have been so cool! (pardon the thread drift)

Jan

__________________
"You know, I used to think that life was terribly unfair. Then I thought, wouldn't it be much worse if life were fair? If all the terrible things that happen to us come because we actually deserve them? So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe." ~~Marcus Cole

I've always been curious as to how Lennier ended up fighting with the Telepath resistance. I know that he wanted to redeem himself in Delenn's eyes but never really figured out why he'd have found the telepath struggle worthy - especially considering their bent toward terrorism.

Might not have related at all. Lots of times we want to do things, and don't get the chance. We want to redeem ourselves for something, and we get hit by a bus, or caught up in a war, or whatever. His redemption may have been learning to put his own need for redemption aside and doing what was needed for the greater good rather than for his own soul.

Which is arguably a recurring theme in JMS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan

One thing I forgot to mention upthread is that JMS mentioned in the fifth season script books having deliberately made sure that all of the B5 characters were spread out around the galaxy in case he was able to use them in Crusade. From what I gather, TNT somehow wanted to have the connection to B5 without having any actual characters from it. JMS was playing with some interesting ideas, though. At one point he seriously suggested Andreas Katsulast for the part of Galen. That would have been so cool! (pardon the thread drift)
Jan

My limited understanding is that after B5 didn't get the ratings they wanted, they felt a B5 spinoff wouldn't drag followers from B5 since, in there eyes, there weren't any. So having a show with lots of ties to a show no one watched seemed like a bad move. Thus they wanted it to be as standalone as possible.

According to my limited understanding, which is often shown to be wrong here <G>

__________________
Sincerely,

Kevin Long
(The Artist Formerly Known As Republibot 3.0, And The World's Greatest Living Thurl Ravenscroft Impersonator)http://www.kevin-long.com

My limited understanding is that after B5 didn't get the ratings they wanted, they felt a B5 spinoff wouldn't drag followers from B5 since, in there eyes, there weren't any. So having a show with lots of ties to a show no one watched seemed like a bad move. Thus they wanted it to be as standalone as possible.

According to my limited understanding, which is often shown to be wrong here <G>

Sorta-kinda but not really. Yes, there was some of that - they didn't want new viewers to feel that they needed to see the original show - despite the fact that they were showing that show in re-runs. B5s ratings were fine as far as numbers of viewers was concerned. Good enough that the commissioned Crusade, as we all know. The difference was that Crusade was their first original show and they seemed to want that separate.

The 'problem' wasn't actual ratings that caused TNT to sabotage Crusade, it was that having B5/Crusade didn't grow their viewership. When B5 would come on, the TNT core audience would leave and the B5 folks came in. When B5 went off, the B5 folks left and the TNT people came back. That did nothing to increase their advertising quotes so they decided to get out of their contract by any means necessary (so to speak).

Corporate politics....isn't it amazing that anything of quality *ever* happens?!?

Jan

__________________
"You know, I used to think that life was terribly unfair. Then I thought, wouldn't it be much worse if life were fair? If all the terrible things that happen to us come because we actually deserve them? So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe." ~~Marcus Cole